Hi, I've moved out of my parents home, and quite frankly, I haven't the foggiest notion how finance works; and it scares me silly. Bills are coming through my letter box, the contents of which I do not typically understand. I struggle to understand basic concepts such as inflation, credit cards, credit ratings, etc. Whenever I call the various institutions sending me these bills they either give contradictory advice, or seem unable (unwilling?) to explain the processes by which their company uses to bill it's customers.

I don't know where to start. Is there a recommended textbook I could read that explains (basic) personal finance? I'm looking for a text that targets the British financial system, but perhaps I can settle for something suitably generic in that it doesn't cover the specifics of a particular system. (Why can't we just f**king agree on a standard system! It worked for Science)

~ Jamison.

"How to be happier, richer and better looking than your parents" might at least be a fun place to start. Keep it simple so to speak.

Most important; it is not that complicated, if you find it is - you are doing it wrong.

Personal Finance and Investing All-in-One For Dummies, UK Edition

The book is a little old (2007) so some of the details may be out of date, but the principles remain sound. You might be able to find an inexpensive used copy or perhaps find it at your local library.